A message to Aberdeenshire councillors: Put facilities before houses

On Tuesday you will be asked to approve a development that will result in the building of up to 1,200 new homes in Kintore. This will be a massive expansion of Kintore which already has a population of 4,447.

Our message is a simple one. “Put facilities before houses”.

In February this year, your colleagues representing Kintore were presented with a petition carrying more than 1,000 (800 online, plus hard copy petition forms) names calling for the Gateway Kintore development to be brought forward for a decision by the council.

The 1,000 signature petition handed over by Kevin Watt (left) chair of Kintore & District Community Council to councillors Martin Ford, Nan Cullinane and Fergus Hood.

Gateway Kintore is preferred by many because it provides three of these five requirements on a site beside the A96 where it will be of benefit, not only to Kintore, but to other communities in the area.

Also, the development will fund the improvement of the existing Broomhill Roundabout, retaining the vital direct access to Kintore from the A96 northbound out of Aberdeen (under alternative proposals this direct access would be closed off).

For these reasons we urge you to vote for a deferral of the Kintore East proposals until a decision is made on the plans for a supermarket, filling station and other community facilities for Kintore.